CrossFit Athletic Group

Stephen Covey made a really helpful graph to help organize how people spend time. Much like our Summer Graph of Ability/Personality, the best place to be on his graph is the top quadrant, which means you're taking time to do something that is not urgent but very important.

There used to be a time when being late to a session was grounds for burpees or, if you were lucky, a stern talking-to from Master P. Now? The Bus Won't Leave Without Mrs. Nevarez. Or Priti. Or Mr. Gjon. Or just about anyone besides Bewick, who literally works RIGHT THERE across the street!

Summer 2019 was a big turning point in this category (as with many other categories) because 130 people suddenly meant we'd see sessions of 20+ at 6:30. And it wasn't just 20 people on their own doing hip capsule or strict pull-up practice. It was this:

As the years went on, it was not only the socializing that changed the start time, but also the workout format; if the technique, intensity, or whatever of the 5:30 session called for the workout to take longer than the hour time slot, then... the workout would take longer than the hour slot. This allowed for things like more reps on max effort days, unscaled long-duration workouts, and extra practice on For Quality ones.

As a result, we have seen a third upside of starting late come on in the last year: people from waaaaaaay far away. Just take a peek at the map and the pins in the gym and you'll see how many people come in from 30+ minutes away. And all of those people (even Mrs. Hana) make any session better that they are in. I mean, sure, there was a pickup truck sticking out of a driveway on my walk to the gym this morning that I made me cross the street two houses before I normally would, but I can only assume there are even more variables when it comes to maneuvering through traffic for a half hour.

The downside of starting late: bad manners? Against tradition? Our grandparents would be pissed?

I grew up in a house that valued being on time to things. Then I played basketball in Detroit during high school and college and I became part of an environment that valued the importance of things more than the time it said on the clock. I think I have a good feel for when it's important to be on time and when it's not as much.

Over the last month I've realized the single most impactful change that has happened in the gym over the last 3 years is starting a session late. It doesn't really happen on purpose, it just kinda happens. Like Calan doing a clean with good form. Mr. Krstich and Mr. Andrew might only cross paths 2 times during a week; Evan might be testing out his Achilles on another lift; Trevor might be on his way from halfway across the freaking state.

We'll start when we're ready and we'll be done when we've finished.